


Reunion

by angylinni



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 17:37:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/600386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angylinni/pseuds/angylinni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss and Peeta meet again at their ten year reunion and the spark that was between them all those years ago still burns brightly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JennaGill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennaGill/gifts).



> For Jennagill, who graciously volunteered her time to beta for the exchange. Thank you!

“You’re going, right?”

Katniss looked up into Madge’s face and sighed.  “No.”

“What?  Why not?”

Katniss reached for a paper out of her inbox, ignoring her friend.  Madge slapped her hand down on the paper, forcing Katniss to look up at her.  “Answer me."

“Because there isn’t anyone I particularly want to see.  You and I see each other every day, Madge.  I have no other friends from then.”

“Bullshit.”

Katniss sighed, leaning back in her chair.  “Fine, I don’t want to see him, okay?”

“Why the hell not?  Ten years is a long time, Katniss.  You’ve both changed.”

“Exactly, and what’s to say he isn’t married?”

“He’s not.”

Katniss narrowed her eyes.  “And how do you know that?”

Madge leaned against the desk.  “I’m on the committee that sent out the invitations and marks rsvp’s, he sent his information sheet back and I read it.”

“And that’s all you’re going to say?”

“You aren’t going, why do you care?”

“I hate you.”

“I hate you more.”

~*~

Katniss stood in the doorway of the gym, eyes scanning the crowded room.  Madge had promised to look for her, but she knew her best friend would be crazy busy with running everything, so she’d told her not to worry about it.  It wasn’t like she was planning on staying very long anyway, just enough to say she went and then go back home to grade the papers that had landed on her desk that afternoon.

“Katniss?”

She turned around and her heart slammed against her chest.  Peeta Mellark stood in front of her, giving her a tentative smile.  He looked exactly the same as he had ten years ago, blonde hair too long and hanging into his eyes and bluer than blue eyes that saw directly into her soul.

“Peeta.”

She felt his eyes drift over her and her knees wanted to knock together.  The years fell away and she was eighteen again, her heart in her throat.

~*~

They’d gotten drinks, after the awkwardness of their first meeting in ten years had passed.  Katniss was certain the tips of her ears were still red and she could see from the way he kept fidgeting with the heavy tumbler of whiskey that he wasn’t as calm and collected as he appeared.

They were off in a corner of the crowded room, hidden by the tall plants that separated the bar area from the rest of the space, a quiet, cozy hideaway that allowed them to talk without having to shout over the music.

“So,” he said softly, running his index finger around the rim of his glass.  “What’ve you been up to in the last ten years?”  His gaze lifted and bluer than blue eyes met her own, a tingle of awareness running through her as if she’d touched a live wire.

“Oh, you know, this and that,” she said, biting on her lower lip. “I went to college a few towns over, close enough that I could live at home, but far enough away that it felt like freedom.”

He chuckled softly.  “Major?”

“Music.  I teach at the grade school.”

“Wow, that must be…” his voice trailed off and he got that goofy grin on his face that he used to back in high school when she caught him staring at her across the classroom.

“Demanding, stressful,” she replied, laughing.  “But I love it.  They’re such a joy to be around, so uninhibited and free.”

He nodded, dropping his gaze to his drink.  She took the opportunity to study him, her gaze lingering on the swell of his lower lip and the solid lines of his jaw.  It’d fascinated her back in school, the firm line that more often than not was scruffed over with blonde stubble.  She’d wondered what it would be like to kiss him, and feel the scrape of his whiskers across her sensitive skin.  Of course, she’d also spent more time than was healthy on the way his eyelashes had tangled together, but mostly it was his jaw that held her fascination. “And you?” she prompted gently once he’d looked back up.

“College, out of state.”  He laughed dryly.  “Actually, across the country, I went as far away as I could from my mother.”  He looked away again, eyes darting over her shoulder.  “Culinary school, I’m a pastry chef.”  His eyes met hers once more and another jolt of heat speared through her.

“Obviously you don’t live around here, there’s not much in the way of fine dining in Panem,” she said, toying with the stem of her wineglass.

“I actually just moved back last week, I’m taking over the bakery.  My dad’s been ready to retire for a few years now, but neither of my brothers wanted to take over the business.”

“Are they staying here?”

He shook his head. “They’re getting divorced and he’s staying here but she’s going…wherever.  Honestly, I don’t even know where.”

“Oh, Peeta, that can’t be easy to deal with.”

He shrugged.  “It was a long time coming and it’s for the best, really.  Dad actually seems happier now that they’ve made the decision.”  He lifted his glass and finished his drink.  “And I think that’s enough depressing for one night, can I get you another?”

She glanced down at her glass, surprised to see that it was nearly empty.  “Oh, yes, thank you.” He picked up her glass and walked to the bar; leaving her staring at the curve of his ass in the khaki trousers he wore.  He was even more in shape than he’d been back in high school, obviously he didn’t eat many of his own pastries.  She laughed softly.  If she worked in a bakery, there’d never be anything for the customers and her ass would be a mile wide.

He returned a few minutes later, sliding her glass across the table as he sat down.  She smiled and leaned back in the chair.  “I can’t believe it’s been ten years.”

He chuckled.  “I know, feels like yesterday we were walking the halls.”

“I don’t miss that,” she said quickly, laughing. 

“I do have some regrets about it,” he said, leaning his elbows on the table and staring at her.

“You do?  You were Mr. Popularity, girls hanging off of you, friends with nearly everyone.”

“I regret not doing anything about what was between us,” he said intently.

She inhaled sharply, biting down on her lower lip as he continued.  “I know you know what I mean, Katniss.”

Katniss dropped her gaze to her wineglass.  How could she not?  He’d finally kissed her at a beach party after spending all year as lab partners and she’d freaked out, certain that it was some big joke that his friends had convinced him to pull on her because she was the nerdy girl who never had a chance with him.  “I regret that too.”

“Can you give me a second chance?” He asked, reaching for her hand, tracing his finger lightly over the back of it.  “And go out with me tomorrow night?”

She looked up, her heart thumping madly as her gaze locked with his.  A tentative smile tugged at her lips.  “I’d like that.”

His return smile stretched the width of his face.  “Good, now let’s dance since I didn’t get to take you to senior prom.”  He stood up and held out his hand.

Katniss took a deep breath and slid her palm into his, stomach dancing as long fingers curled around hers.  That feeling she’d had back in the day when he’d kissed her was back, stronger now that she knew it for what it was and could embrace it.


End file.
